Skydiving!!!!!!


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Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Otago » Queenstown
December 14th 2005
Published: December 15th 2005
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My skydiving locationMy skydiving locationMy skydiving location

I jumped out of the plane somewhere around the top of the mountain to the left of the island.
I’ve started a new page, because this morning’s adventure pretty much requires it’s own page. I went skydiving.

I made the decision the night before and gave myself that evening to groan about how expensive it was. But now it was time to be excited and not think about the price. I was picked up outside my hostel at 8am and went on a 45-minute drive to the town of Glenarchy where I would be jumping. I was the only one there that morning, besides a girl from California who was riding up with me but not jumping. It was another clear day and the scenery was amazing (see the pictures). California girl, my tandem partner (no they don’t let you go alone), and I squished into a little plane, and the pilot flew us up to 11,000ft. We flew through the mountains and up over glaciers, high mountain lakes, and the head of the Dart River. At 11,000ft, my partner told me to get ready and put on my headgear (a hot little leather skullcap) and we strapped up. Then California girl opened the door and we scooted to the edge. With my feet dangling out the door, I
LandingLandingLanding

not me- the next jumper
could see the ground way, way below us. Very cool. We turned around and waved to the camera and then fell out the door. The first few seconds were literally breath taking; we fell so fast that I couldn’t breath. We flipped in the air and I was looking up at the plane as it grew farther away. Suddenly I realized that my partner was yelling at me to stretch out in the position he’d showed before. We flipped back to the other side and I could see the ground again. Then I was jolted back up as the parachute opened. The wind stopped rushing by my ears and I could breath normally. Now I could easily hear my partner again as he showed me where we were and where we’d started from. Then he spun the parachute around in circles until I was really dizzy. And then we spun the other way. I felt a bit like a puppet attached by strings and with no control. But a very happy puppet! When we finally landed- nice and smoothly on our butts- I was beaming. And covered in snot. Don’t expect to look pretty after falling 11,000 ft.

The jump was so fantastic! It was definitely the best thing I did in NZ, if not one of the best things I’ve ever done. I also videotaped the whole thing (on a little recorder that I held in my hand), so I can show it to anyone who wants to see. However, the sound will be edited out, because it’s just me making stupid comments like “whoa”, “it’s pretty!” and “wow”. Also not very articulate when falling 11,000ft.


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